Calolziocorte, Lavello Monastery

The abbey and church of Lavello have represented, since the early Middle Ages, a reference point for the territory. The church, in its simplicity, features highly valued pieces, dating from the Renaissance to the XVIII century. The site where the monastery was built had an important role in ancient times because of its strategic position between Lake Como, the San Martino Valley and the River Adda, a border of various areas under different control.
There is an old legend that dates back to 1480 when a hermit Jacopino, sheltering in the ruins of the small church, discovered a tomb with clear water gushing out of it. Following other extraordinary events, the church became a destination for pilgrims. Around 1486, due to the large number of pilgrims, the friars of the Order of the Servants of Mary were allowed to take office in the church and to use its land. In 1510 the friars rebuilt the convent. In 1566 the construction of the main cloister began and this continued until at least 1597. Between 1582 and 1585, the church was extended further and some of the very interesting frescoes in the left hand chapel, dedicated to San Filippo, could date back to this very period.
The wealth of the convent is clearly visible in the artistic arrangement of its buildings from the Sixteenth and Seventeenth centuries: the two cloisters, both the large one and the small one, are splendid. The whole building has been completely restored.